Access. Power.

Access. Power. Colossians 1.3-14.

podcast: http://www.pastorwoman.com/…/e6751016-4efd-48b4-811c-c8df0b…

Why? Why did "What Else Could I Give Them
But Jesus" hit the mark with so many readers across the world?
It made the world a little smaller, and it made Jesus, the Lover of our soul, a whole lot bigger! [Missed it? here's the link:http://pastorwoman.com/ReadArchive.aspx?id=3017]

Heard it said sometimes you don't realize that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have. But how do we access him? How do we know that God is there, that he listens and answers our prayers? I look to God in prayer every morning, whether filled with gratitude, worshipful thoughts of him, worried about my loved ones, or all of the above! Daily I ask for the favor1 and wisdom of God,2 as I take my cues from the psalmist who said, "Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly."3

Paul's words to the Colossians may be personalized as a prayer for God's people . . . a prayer for you ~ a prayer for Kyla and for Rich who need healing; for Jan who needs relief from anxiety and haunting insomnia; for Cindy whose heart threatens to burst yet again over her son . . . for our needs, requests, praises and thanks lifted to God.

My brothers and sisters, I thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when I pray for you, because I have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus ... 
~>Friends, do you know what it is to share in the bond of faith we experience in Jesus? There is nothing like the bond that exists between fellow believers - just like my encounter with the lovely Jamaican woman in Nantucket ... how sweet, how precious is that common ground!

In truth, we share in the faith and love which spring from the hope stored up for us in heaven, which comes from the true message of the gospel that has come to you. And then I see how the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world- all because you understand God's grace, and have made yourselves available to share it with others.

For this reason, I will not stop praying for you. Sometimes, I lie awake at night praying for folks who need a touch from God. 
Friends, besides praying for hope and healing, I pray for the strengthening of your faith.
Along with Paul, I continually ask God to 
fill you with the knowledge of his will through all 
the wisdom and understanding 
that the Spirit gives, 
so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord 
I ask God to enable you to please him in every way: 
bearing fruit in every good work, 
growing in the knowledge of God, 
being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might 
so that you may have great endurance and patience, and 
giving joyful thanks to the Father, 
who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. Amen.

May I be so bold as to humbly ask you what I ask of myself-in Paul's words, are you 'living a life worthy of the Lord and pleasing him in every way'? Are you bearing fruit for God? Give him permission to search your heart. Are you growing in the knowledge of God?' How's your understanding of biblical truths and principles for living?

Here's the thing - our lives must be all one piece. You and I must not be one person in certain places, another person in other settings, and yet another still in those other scenarios in which we find ourselves. Whether at work or at home, whether traveling or in our neighborhood, whether with family or with strangers, we ought be the same person. All we do ought be an outpouring of our worship of God. And while there is struggle in this life, we can and must remain faithful to our dear Lord.

Never forget that God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Amen. 
inspired by Colossians 1.3-14

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you!4 Access that power by searching out God in prayer! Go ahead - access the power of God.

Praying for you,

Christine Todd DiGiacomo

PastorWoman.com

1 - Psalm 90.17
2 - James 1.5
3 - Psalm 5.3, NLT
4 - Romans 8.11 - memorize this verse!!